Hughes 369HS N369GN

Summary

On 18 August 2014 at about 18:50 local time, a Hughes 369HS registered N369GN, operated by Tery Jon Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Saint Peter, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 August 2014 at 18:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Saint Peter, Minnesota, United States

Coordinates

44.1528, -93.5347

Aircraft

Hughes 369HS

Registration

N369GN

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1974

Operator

Tery Jon Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Saint Peter → Saint Peter

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14CA444

Nobody was injured.

The pilot did not see the wires resulting in the subsequent wire collision.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an application flight, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter in order to conduct another pass, maintaining vigilance of the high lines and trees in the vicinity of his operations. The pilot stated that he did not see the 2 wires spanning from across the road into the bean field where he was applying insecticide. He flew right into the wires which subsequently entangled around the mast of the helicopter. During the forced landing to the field, the "controls locked up" and the helicopter spun to the right 3 times before impacting the ground. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.